Santa Rosa Valley was an almost exclusively agricultural area until the second half of the twentieth century. Then the County of Ventura approved the development of "Rural" lots in the east end of the valley but without a specific plan for the development of the area.

However in 1982 the county adopted an Equestrian Trails Policy, which provided for trails in all subdivisons and that those trails would link to other subdivisions. This policy has been regarded an unenforceable by the county planning staff because the county did not also create a Trail Plan for Santa Rosa Valley.

Many of the earlier subdivisions did include dedicated trails easements that have created the current trail system in the Santa Rosa Valley. But in later years some developers have chosen not to include trails with the result that the trail system has become disconnected or even disappeared in some areas. Additionally the County has generally been unable to accept or maintan trails in areas that are not covered by a homeowner's associaton.

SRVTI worked with the County and financed the creation of a Trail Master Plan that has now become a permanent part of Ventura County's General Plan. Full details of the Trail Master Plan can be found on the County's website here